Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-07-14
THE cHLoRoFoRmlsrs.
New and Dangerous Race Of Criminals
Developed In France.

THE CHLOROFORMiSTS.
A New and Dangerous Race Of CrimInaIs
Developed In France.
The chlorofOrmists, as they are
called, are the aristocracy of the GRIM
inal race. They are generally broken
down society men. and very often med
ical students who have gone to the
bad after having learned, in the course
of their studies. the properties of mar
| cotics and an@sthetics. Their chief
fields of operation are the railway
carriages and the hotels. the compart-
ment system of the former giving
them every facility for carrying out
their designs. Their method of pro-
ceeding in the last instance is as fol-
lows: He seeks what is technically
known as his PORTFOLIO. e., rich
traveller who affords profitable oppor-
tunities for the exercise of his skill.
He goes to look for him at the rail-
way station of one of the long
lines. such as the Paris, Lyons &
Mediterranean road. He watches
each person that approaches the
ticket office to buy ticket,
and selects some one who. shows,
on opening his pocket-book, goodly
collection of bank notes. The chloro-
formist buys a ticket for the same
destination, takes seat in the same
compartment, gets into conversation
with his fellow-traveler, and finally
ends by producing well-filled lunch
basket. He was to have been accom-
panied by a friend, he says, but at the
last moment he received a telegram
(Which he produces) announcing that
the friend had been hindered from de-
parting at the last moment. That is
why he has supply of provisions for
two persons, two silver cups, etc. He
offers to share his supper with his new
acquaintance. If the offer is accepted,
the wine, which is heavily drugged,
soon sends the traveller to sleep. If,
on the contrary, it is refused, the
chloroformist partakes heartily Of a
solitary meal, and winds up by light
ing cigar, offering at the same time
his cigar-case to his companion. who,
not to seem rude or churlish in the
presence of such genial friendliness, al
most invariably accepts cigar. 1t is
prepared with a strong narcotic,
as the wine had been, and the unlucky
traveller is soon plunged in a heavy
stupor. The chloroformist opens his
phial and places it for a few moments
under the nostrils of the sleeper, gen.
tly applying to the mouth at the same
time sheet of fine parchment. known
as the ''stifler," and having the shape
of carnival mask. its function being
the exclusion of the outer air. The
victim is soon rendered wholly insensi-
bic by the vapor of the chloroform.
The thief then commences operations
in perfect safety. He takes possession
of the pocket-book. and empties it of
its bank notes. replacing few of the
smallest value. He then puts it back
in the pocket from which he had taken
it, removes the parchment mask from
the face Of the sleeper. and. leaving
the victims jcwelry and coined money
untouched, gets out of the train at the
next station. The motive of leaving
his victim in possession of his jewell
~ and portmonnaie is twOfold.
If the traveller, ON awakening,
finds that his watch and chain
and his supply OF coin are all right, he
does not usually investigate his pock-
et-boek. SO the theft has chance Of
remaining undiscovered for several
hours or even days. He may. too. at
tribute the loss of his bank notes to a
piece of carelessness. or to mistake
on his part. If, on the other hand, as
often happens. he does not wake ut all,
but dies from the effects of the narcotic
and tho chloroform, the authorities.
finding themselves in the presence of
corpse presenting not the slightest
trace of violence. and with money, pa
pers and valuables apparently undis-
turbed, can only attribute the decease
to natural causes. 1t is a startling fact
that cases of sudden death in the cars
of the great French railways have of
late become singularly frequent.
The chloroform that plays so impor-
tant a part in this form of crime is
contained in a very small fiat phial Of
black glass, which can easily be con-
cealed and is readily gotten rid OF in
case of capture. According to OUR au-
thor, a band of chlorofOrmists was re-
Gently organized in Chicago. Paris
Letter.
RICH MEMS SONS,